24 <strong>Topic XXIV. Deliberative Polling</strong>

Topic XXIV. Denver Bullet Study
  • OVERVIEW
    • The Denver Bullet Study offers one approach to integrating facts and values in a controversial real-world problem, drawing facts from a set of experts, gauging the values of different stakeholders, and bringing these together for a final decision.
    • Addressing the Question: How should we use science to make better decisions?
  • TOPIC RESOURCES

  • EXAMPLES
  • LEARNING GOALS
    • A. ATTITUDES
      • Be optimistic that a community can come together to make a decision, even when people begin with heterogeneous values and beliefs.
    • B. CONCEPT ACQUISITION
      • Stakeholders: The set of people who have a stake in the outcome of a decision. This can include people who will implement the decision and all the people affected by it.
      • Experts: The set of people who have the most knowledge/information/expertise about the facts relevant to the decision.
      • Denver Bullet Study: An experiment in group deliberation in which a community came together to share values and knowledge to make a decision about what kind of bullet the Denver Police should use, which had enough stopping power to keep cops safe but was not so harmful as to cause unnecessary damage to citizens (as did classic hollow bullets).
    • C. CONCEPT APPLICATION
  • CLASS ELEMENTS

    • Students work out a problem involving values and factual/scientific issues, using method used in Denver bullet study. 
  • ASSESSMENTS